Java Object-Oriented Design Guidelines

Java Object-Oriented Design Guidelines

Review and improve Java code using focused object-oriented design references selected after assessing the request and affected code.

What is covered in this Skill?

• Fundamental design principles (SOLID, DRY, YAGNI)
• Class and interface design: composition over inheritance, immutability, accessibility minimization, accessor methods
• Core OOP concepts: encapsulation, inheritance, polymorphism
• Object creation patterns: static factory methods, Builder, Singleton, dependency injection, avoiding unnecessary objects
• OOD code smells: God Class, Feature Envy, Inappropriate Intimacy, Refused Bequest, Shotgun Surgery, Data Clumps
• Method design: parameter validation, defensive copies, careful signatures, empty collections over nulls, Optional usage
• Exception handling: checked vs. runtime exceptions, standard exceptions, failure-capture messages, no silent ignoring

Scope: Classify the applicable OOD concerns first, then load only the focused references needed for those concerns. Load multiple references when a refactoring crosses concern boundaries.

Constraints

Before applying any OOD changes, ensure the project compiles. If compilation fails, stop immediately — do not proceed until resolved. After applying improvements, run full verification.

• MANDATORY: Run ./mvnw compile or mvn compile before applying any change
• SAFETY: If compilation fails, stop immediately and do not proceed — compilation failure is a blocking condition
• VERIFY: Run ./mvnw clean verify or mvn clean verify after applying improvements
• PROGRESSIVE DISCLOSURE: Classify the applicable OOD concerns before reading references, then read only the references mapped to those concerns
• MULTI-CONCERN CHANGES: Read multiple focused references only when the request or diagnosed code problems cross concern boundaries
• PRESERVE BEHAVIOR: Apply focused, incremental refactorings without changing observable business behavior
• INCREMENTAL SAFETY: Compile after each significant refactoring and keep changes easy to revert if validation reveals a regression
• DEPENDENCY SAFETY: Confirm refactoring does not break imports, dependencies, class relationships, or established contracts
• ADJACENT SKILLS: Use skill 122 for dedicated type-design work and skill 126 for dedicated exception-handling work; use the overlapping skill 121 references only when those topics are part of a broader OOD review
• EDGE CASE: If request scope is ambiguous, stop and ask a clarifying question before applying changes
• EDGE CASE: If required inputs, files, or tooling are missing, report what is missing and ask whether to proceed with setup guidance

When to use this skill

• Review Java code for object-oriented design
• Refactor Java code for object-oriented design
• Improve Java code for object-oriented design
• Fix OOP concept misuse in Java code
• Identify and resolve code smells in Java code
• Improve object creation patterns in Java code